


Play It And Make It Sincere

by zzegnas



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Theatre, M/M, Mentions of Ableism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 20:54:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5063725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zzegnas/pseuds/zzegnas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“We don't have a lot of time, but the plot twist here is that you’ve been my character all along,” the actor explains, quickly fixing his blond hair into a manageable style. “I’m Niall, by the way,” he says, shaking Louis’ hand with a smile. “You’ve been a real pleasure to work with, the guy I dealt with the other night was an incredible asshole.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I-I’m Louis,” he swallows. “And thanks, I’ve never acted before.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Never hurts to try, right?”</em>
</p><p>—<br/>Louis takes his sisters to a showing of the newest play in town, where audience participation is a required part of the viewing experience. He's left completely enamoured of a character only known as The Ringmaster, and takes it upon himself to catch the actor's full attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Play It And Make It Sincere

**Author's Note:**

> So I've had this sort of theatre plot in mind for a while, and was very inspired by Panic! at the Disco's performances from their 'Fever' era (though it's obviously not the same thing, haha). Just as a disclaimer, you do _not_ need to be a Panic enthusiast to understand the story; but if you _are_ one, then I hope you'll recognize some of the references made in the first half :D
> 
> Also, please be aware of the additional tags! The mentions of ableism are towards the middle of the story, followed by a short depiction of violence. Other than that, I hope at least one of you will enjoy this :)
> 
> Title from '[Time To Dance](https://youtu.be/JfUug-R7M5g)' by Panic! at the Disco | [tumblr](http://jenkothat.tumblr.com/)

_**Intermission will end in: one minute** _

Hundreds of well-dressed guests crowd a theatre lobby, all rushing to get back to their seats before the lights go down. The area soon empties out and the seconds before the doors close is coming in fast, Louis’ anxiety matching that while he waits for his sisters Daisy and Phoebe to finish up in the restrooms. He’s taken them to the Spencer Boyd Theatre as their chaperone to the newest show in town titled, _Aubergine Weddings_ , a musical consisting of three weddings in three different settings, all interrupted by six different angels to change the fates of either the bride or the groom.  
  
The first wedding had been to the theme of a marching band and a parade, the whimsical mishaps of each character leading to a happy ending for all. The second act had been more surreal, the stage set up with oversized furniture, trampolines, and everyone donning pastel pajamas. The third act has yet to be revealed, though from what Louis can gather in the playbill, consists of a ringmaster and his family of circus oddities.  
  
Daisy and Phoebe come rushing out not a moment later, Louis guiding them through the crowded lobby as fast as he can. They slow down at the sight of an imposing security guard in a navy blue suit and an earpiece, his nameplate flashing: _Liam Payne: Head of Security_. “No running,” Liam sternly tells them, all eyes on the siblings power walking to their seats.  
  
The girls casually mention the audience participation warning for the third act, their brother passing it off as nothing more than the crowd yelling back at the actors. Louis sends a quick text to their mother, letting her know they’re doing all right, and tucks it away soon as the lights dim down.  
  
A low hum of violins starts up, the sheer red curtain billowing over the stage slowly opens to reveal the inside of a church. Bustles and bird cages hang high above the ceiling, white lace veils are draped over the church pews, and vases of red roses and white lilies sit pretty on dirty Roman columns.  
  
Two families sit on either side of the church, one half dressed in fine Victorian clothing, the other in dilapidated versions of the same outfits. An accordion begins to play a rendition of a wedding march, the whispers of ‘ _May I take your hand in marriage?_ ’ and ‘ _I accept in the utmost!_ ’ echoing through every corner of the theatre until the theatre goes into complete darkness.  
  
A spotlight shines on two men dressed as dandies descending from the ceiling on wires, both distinct in character. One dandy is dressed in red, his long curly hair flowing out from under his modest top hat. The other dandy is dressed in purple and lacks the headwear, letting his perfectly coiffed hair with a loose strand over his forehead be his crowning acheivement. They introduce themselves as angels known as Envy and Malice, and inform the audience of their predicament: an unsuspecting groom will meet his end at the hands of his seemingly innocent bride-to-be the night of their wedding, and take all of his money to marry another man.  
  
“This is much too big for us, Envy! We couldn’t possibly stop this by ourselves!”  
  
“Now now, Malice, I have a plan! You and I both know there’s only one person that can help us now.”  
  
“I agree,” Malice nods back, “little people like us shouldn’t be doing this.”  
  
The angels are lifted high above the stage, a resounding explosion frightening the audience when they’re strategically dropped to the floor. They run up and down the aisles causing utter madness, kicking chairs over and flinging flowers across the stage as they’re lifted and lowered wherever they go. The orchestra plays a jaunty melody as this happens, the angels singing, _Ringmaster, Ringmaster, come out and play! Dearest Ringmaster, won’t you come out and stay? We plead and cry for your help, Ringmaster do what you will and bring forth your hell!_  
  
The sound of an explosion and bright lights bring the mayhem to a stop, and out comes The Ringmaster on his own set of wires. Aerialists spin down from the ceiling as he makes his entrance, donning a bright red coat that makes him stand out from the dreary setting. The shadow from the brim of his top hat obscures his face, though Louis’ is somehow entranced at the sight of him. Envy and Malice bow at The Ringmaster’s feet as soon as they hit the floor, and plead with him to save the groom from his fate.  
  
“A plan must be made! And it must be to perfection,” The Ringmaster insists, approaching the front of the stage. “But first, I must meet the groom. No plan can go too far until he is aware of what we intend to do.”  
  
“Oh, well, we’ve never seen him— _mmf!_ ” Malice quickly covers Envy’s mouth with a hand, laughing in embarrassment as The Ringmaster taps his foot impatiently.  
  
“Of course we’ve seen him!” Malice lies. “Why, he was wandering around here not too long ago! In fact, we can search for him now if you’d like.”  
  
“You two serve me well, but in telling the truth, you are utterly useless,” The Ringmaster remarks, smacking them upside their heads. “If you cannot find him, then I will do so myself.”  
  
The Ringmaster lifts his head, finally revealing his face. Louis sits up, inexplicably taken by the actor’s blue eyes. “Dear curious audience, give me your attention! Who in the crowd shall be the unlucky groom in love!” he shouts, cueing a bevy of dancers to enter the stage and waltz to the music. Louis is on the edge of his seat now, realizing just how badly he’d like to be up on there with the blue-eyed actor.  
  
Envy, Malice, and The Ringmaster break free from their wiring and sing in time, the three of them running down the stairs of the stage and into the audience. Gasps and cheers are heard throughout, all eyes on the actors wading through the aisles. Children shout and plead to be chosen, grown men pushed to stand up by their eager wives to be noticed. Envy and Malice run back to the main stage, while The Ringmaster’s every move is followed by a spotlight from the back of the theatre.  
  
He fast approaches the first row, spinning his cane as he observes each person. Louis’ heart pounds out of his chest and he catches The Ringmaster’s eye, the hairs on the back of his neck standing to attention like needles when the actor is in front of him. A spotlight from the back of the stage illuminates The Ringmaster from where he stands, almost angelic, holding out his gloved hand for Louis to take.

"I'll take good care of you, just follow my lead," the actor whispers assuringly.  
  
Phoebe and Daisy plead with their brother to go up, but Louis remains hesitant. The Ringmaster holds his hand out further and offers a sweet smile, his eyes eager for Louis to acknowledge him. Entranced, Louis finally accepts, his sisters cheering loudly as he’s taken from his seat and onto the stage.  
  
_Dear audience, meet your doomed groom!_  
  
—  
  
Nothing but adrenaline rushes through Louis’ veins throughout his performance. He hardly needs to say a word, aside from answering the occasional 'yes or no' question from the three actors. At one point, The Ringmaster sits Louis down onto a plush velvet couch made for two, and serenades him while Envy and Malice shower them with flower petals from high above. The Ringmaster sings with the sweetest voice, his soft and boyish tone leaving Louis completely enamoured of him. Louis could live in this moment for as long as it lasts, wanting nothing more than to experience it again and again until the two angels drop from the ceiling, purposely ruining their intimate moment.

 _That's enough coddling, Ringmaster, we have work to do!_  
  
Louis takes the beating of being pushed around from place to place by the angels, though The Ringmaster remains right by his side as his physical conscience. The last push ends up on a flight of stairs leading to an altar, where a veiled bride and reverend await Louis to begin the ceremony. He adjusts his suit jacket, swallowing hard as the spotlight follows him from behind. The Ringmaster dances around Louis and the bride as the reverend begins to speak, whispering all of the bride’s wrongdoings if he goes through with the marriage.  
  
“Do you,” the reverend pauses, giving the bride a suspicious glance, “take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do you part?”  
  
“ _’Til death_ , dearest groom,” The Ringmaster whispers. “Envy and Malice will not be pleased to know if they’ve failed in their attempts to change your mind.”  
  
“I... do... n—”  
  
The lights go out, a wave of gasps spreading throughout the theatre. Louis freezes at the touch of an arm around his shoulders, frightened when he hears The Ringmaster tell him, "Hang tight!" letting out a scream when the floor drops several feet below the stage. Louis nearly falls off as soon as it comes to a stop, and it takes him a minute to realize he's in a dimly lit area, the air feeling colder with a group of stagehands rushing towards them in a hurry. They run to the actor with a change of clothes, and provide Louis with a replica of The Ringmaster’s red coat and top hat to wear.  
  
“You all right? Still got all your limbs and stuff?” the actor asks, holding Louis by the shoulders.  
  
“I think if I missed a step I would have landed on my head,” Louis says, still coming to his senses. "Is this part of the show? What's going on?"  
  
“We don't have a lot of time, but the plot twist here is that you’ve been my character all along,” the actor explains, quickly fixing his blond hair into a manageable style. “I’m Niall, by the way,” he says, shaking Louis’ hand with a smile. “You’ve been a real pleasure to work with, the guy I dealt with the other night was an incredible asshole.”  
  
“I-I’m Louis,” he swallows. “And thanks, I’ve never acted before.”  
  
“Never hurts to try, right?” Niall chuckles, adjusting the top hat on Louis. “We’ll be shot up to the stage again, but I’ll still be there to guide you. All you have to do is dance with the girls with the big skirts and try to avoid the fire breather, got it?” Louis nods, hands trembling as he fastens the buttons on the coat. Niall notices this, placing his hand over Louis’ to keep him calm. “Everything will be fine, I promise. As soon as the curtains come down, you’ll be led back to the lobby and you can brag about this to everyone you know.”  
  
Louis follows Niall’s lead and crouches down on the lift to get into position. They both look up, the lights above flickering on and off with Envy and Malice singing to distract the audience of their disappearance. “It’s like those space shows in planetariums,” Louis remarks in awe. He notices Niall smiling, his eyes shining like diamonds when he looks back at Louis.  
  
Several stagehands stand on either side of the platform, counting down the seconds before the two will reappear. Louis is distracted when Niall lets out a soft whimper, rubbing a hand above his left knee in pain. “I’m okay, I’ll be fine,” he assures Louis, forcing himself to laugh. Louis returns the favor of what Niall had done just a minute before, placing a hand over his to steady him. Time slows down in the next five seconds and Louis can hear his heart beating fast, looking at Niall as if he’s seen the world in his eyes. Niall gives him a nod, their hands linked together as they shoot back up the stage to the surprise of the audience.  
  
_The groom was The Ringmaster all along!_  
  
—  
  
**Item** : _3-for-1 Ticket Package_  
**Total** : _$84.99_  
**Note** : _Tickets can be used for any performance until the last show date._  
  
“Didn’t you wear the same suit the other night?”  
  
Louis stares at his mother in surprise, unsure of how to answer her. Instead, he fixes the collar of his suit jacket and loops his necktie together, running both hands through his hair for a presentable side part.  
  
“I’m going back to the theatre,” he finally replies.  
  
“Darling, what for? Did you forget something?”  
  
“No, nothing like that,” Louis laughs. “I just want to see the show again, catch the parts I missed while I was onstage.”  
  
“Oh, makes sense,” she says in agreement. Like any doting mother, she fusses with Louis to fix a few of his flyaway hairs and adjusts his necktie to fit snugly under his collar, nodding in approval of how well her son cleans up. “Speaking of which, I never did thank you for taking your sisters to the show. If I hadn’t gotten sick the night before I could have taken them myself instead of bothering your stepfather all night.“  
  
“Don’t worry, we all had a good time. I take that back—I had a _better_ time, but I'm not one to gloat.”  
  
“Oh, just get out, will you!” she bursts out laughing, and walks with Louis to the front door. “Have fun, okay? Maybe you’ll get asked to be onstage again.”  
  
Louis tugs on the lapels of his suit jacket, smiling confidently. “We'll see.”  
  
—  
  
At the theatre, Louis gets an aisle seat a few rows back from where he’d originally sat with a clear view of the stage. Liam, the head of security, recognizes Louis as he’s roaming the aisles, giving him a nod before helping several guests to their seats. Louis is just as dazzled by the show as he was the first time, every line and lyric still new to his ears. He notices little nuances in each scene with new eyes, and catches himself humming along to the music, his foot unknowingly tapping to the beat.  
  
The third act begins and Louis sits up in his seat, ready to see Niall again. Envy and Malice make their entrance, this time to a bevy of screams from several women professing their love to the two young actors. “We certainly have a lively crowd tonight!” Envy exclaims, clearly flattered.  
  
And just like the first time, Louis can’t focus on anything but Niall as soon as he descends from the ceiling. The show becomes a blur again, and before Louis knows it, Niall’s running up and down the aisles looking for the perfect candidate as the unsuspecting groom. The men in Louis’ row all stand when Niall makes his way towards them, shaking his head in disapproval at every single one of them.  
  
“I just can’t seem to find the right—” Niall stops in his tracks, surprised to find a sheepish Louis. The two share a smile, Niall’s shoulders slowly relaxing in Louis’ presence. Niall covers the microphone clipped to his coat and yells out over the music, “Nice to see you again, Louis!”  
  
“You remember me?” he asks breathlessly.  
  
Niall laughs, then leans in close to whisper in Louis’ ear. “I can’t take you as the groom again, I hope you understand.” He slips away right after, unknowingly bewitching Louis with the lingering scent of his cologne.  
  
—

"Yo, Liam, check it out — wasn't this dude here the other night?"  
  
Louis is frozen where he stands, ticket in hand with one foot over the theatre doorway. He finds Liam standing by the theatre entrance, head tilted to the side with an amused smirk. He’s got three other security guards around him, all of them looking at Louis in suspicion. From where they stand, they're all just as intimidating as Liam, and Louis hates how they're always in packs. It's quadruple the intimidation just trying to remain calm and collected in front of four men with gelled hair and hand tattoos.

"Back again, huh?" Liam says in an oddly smug tone. "What is this, your third time?"  
  
“Didn’t realize there was an attendance limit,” Louis replies, shifting his feet. “I bought a three-for-one ticket deal online, that’s three times I can come back, and I’ve already used up two of them.”  
  
“Hey, _chill_ , I was making small talk,” Liam laughs. “Are you really here for the show or are you on someone's guest list that we don't have?"

"What does that even mean?"

"Oops, nevermind," Liam clears his throat, giving one of his colleagues a smirk. "Anyway, so what's your favorite part of the play? I really dig the girls in the marching parade scene with the twirling fire batons."  
  
“Uh, you know what — I guess I like the entire show,” Louis laughs nervously. “Doesn't get any better than The Ringmaster and his lackeys showing up, in my opinion.”  
  
“ _Right_ ,” Liam snorts, seeing right through Louis. He's distracted for a moment, placing a finger on his earpiece before sending the rest of his security pack in different directions. “Question for you: are you a blogger or some kind of theatre critic?” Louis shakes his head, confused. “Figured you weren’t, considering you paid for your tickets. Anyway, follow me.”  
  
Louis’ seat ends up being upgraded at the last minute, and he’s back in the front row where he’d sat the first time. He’s thrilled when Niall notices him as soon as he makes his grand entrance, the flush on his cheeks fairly evident to a crowd of over four hundred people. And once Niall picks a willing participant to be the groom, he deliberately heads towards Louis on his way back, blowing him a kiss before he’s back up onstage.  
  
On his fourth visit, Louis’ assigned seat is unknowingly given to someone else, and is instead escorted by Liam to a private balcony where he gets the best view of the stage. Louis is far from where Niall would most likely see him, although he’s proven wrong when Niall points a finger in his direction in the middle of his ballad, and accidentally laughs to everyone's confusion when Louis secretly blows him a kiss. He pays no mind to the sudden murmur of whispers from the guests around him, though he's nervous when he notices a few of Liam's crew staring him down from different balconies.

 _Maybe I shouldn't have done that_ , Louis thinks, feeling small.

Just before the finale, Liam appears in the aisles and makes his way towards Louis, slipping a small folded piece of paper into his hand before disappearing into the shadows. Unfolding it, Louis immediately stands up to leave as soon as he reads the note, rushing down the stairs and out of the theatre to get to his car.  
  
_Meet at Whitmore Cafe after the show?_  
_Would love to chat with you_  
_\- Niall_  
  
—  
  
Louis should have taken into account how long it would take Niall to change out of his costume, get into his regular clothes, and drive all the way across town to the Whitmore Cafe. It had taken all of twenty minutes to get to there, but now Louis is sitting in the parking lot listening to the radio, hands freezing from the cold winter weather. He constantly checks his rear view mirror, hoping he can jump out of his car fast enough to tell Niall he hadn’t been waiting too long.  
  
But half an hour passes and Niall still isn’t anywhere to be seen. Louis doesn’t give up hope that he’s been tricked, waiting another five minutes before he finally heads into the cafe. The place is fairly sparse, the only visible worker is the cook behind the counter, and Niall nowhere to be seen. An elderly woman rushes out of the kitchen doors towards Louis, apologizing for the wait as she guides him to a table on the other side of the cafe.  
  
“Sally, wait! Wait, he’s with me!”  
  
Louis turns immediately, surprised to see Niall already sitting down two booths from where he'd passed. He waves Louis over to his booth, smiling wide as they both settle in and make themselves comfortable. Niall already has a large muffin sitting in the middle of the table, the top broken in half with a hint of steam rising from both ends.  
  
“Sorry I kept you waiting,” Louis says sheepishly.  
  
“It’s okay, I got here as soon as you came in. Normally takes me about twenty minutes, but the traffic was killer tonight.”  
  
Sally stops in front of the booth, placing a large mug of hot chocolate in front of Niall. “Whipped cream on top and chocolate chips at the bottom, just how you like it, hun.”  
  
“You always know the way to my heart,” Niall preens, then takes a bite out of his muffin. “Are you hungry? Food’s on me if you want something to eat.”  
  
“I’ll be okay, I had a big meal before I came to the show,” Louis insists, but Niall orders a glass of strawberry lemonade for him anyway.  
  
Niall smiles at Louis from behind his mug, snorting out loud when a stream of hot chocolate escapes the corner of his mouth. “Jeez! It's barely been five minutes and I’m already making a mess,” he laughs, cleaning himself off. “By the way, I don’t normally invite audience members out to my favorite cafe. I kinda like to keep this my little secret.”  
  
“I don’t normally accept invitations from strangers, but your secret's safe with me.”  
  
“Ooh, Mr. Mysterious over here,” Niall teases, then immediately changes his expression to a serious one right after. “So, just to get this out of the way, are you like an acting scout or something?” Niall leans forward waiting for a response, and gets a blank expression from Louis instead. “Sorry if that was a weird question. Wanted to keep my bases covered from theatre creeps, even if you don’t look like one.”  
  
Louis forces a laugh, mouth slightly open from shock. “I can guarantee I’m not anything that’d make you think I’m something other than an admirer of your work.” Niall looks up in surprise, but laughs off the comment behind a bite of his muffin. “So what does the star of ‘Aubergine Weddings’ usually do with fans like me? Or are you just trying to butter me up for something else?” Louis asks, hoping to get the conversation going as soon as Sally brings his drink over.  
  
“Hah! _Star_ ,” Niall rolls his eyes. “Haven’t heard that one before. I’m not the star of the show, Louis. Far from it.”  
  
“But you’re The Ringmaster! You’re at the top of the food chain when you’re onstage, how could you not be _the_ star when all eyes are on you?” Louis takes a deep breath, telling Niall, “You’re the only reason I keep going back.”  
  
Niall slowly breaks his muffin into large pieces, lips thinned and brows scrunched together. “Could we talk about something else?” he asks, clearly uncomfortable. “I asked you to come by for a chat, not give me a dissertation on my acting abilities.”  
  
“Sorry,” Louis replies softly, feeling awful. “Why don’t we start fresh? I know we introduced ourselves a few nights ago, but I’d rather we didn’t start off on the wrong foot.”  
  
“I was being defensive, I shouldn’t have done that,” Niall answers, his voice sounding lighter. “But I agree, let’s start again anyway.”  
  
Louis pushes up the sleeve of his cable knit sweater, then holds his hand out. “I’m Louis, I’m twenty-six years old, and I work as a teacher’s aide at an elementary school.”  
  
Niall smiles at that, and firmly shakes Louis’ hand. “I’m Niall, I’m twenty-five, and I’m studying for my bachelor’s degree in business. With a background in acting, obviously.”  
  
"All right, then," Louis grins, satisfied with their proper introduction. "Where do we begin?"  
  
—  
  
Niall and Louis spend up to three hours just talking, time passing quickly as if it were only a few minutes. Sally keeps the hot chocolate and strawberry lemonade coming, refilling their cups every time she checks in on them. Niall tells his theatre stories and Louis tells his school nightmares, their constant laughter leading to inexplicably scratchy throats right after. An unexpected text from Louis' mother to stop by the drugstore for cough drops has the two realizing just how late it's gotten.

Louis excuses himself to use the restroom, and notices in the mirror how red his cheeks have gotten even after splashing cold water on them. He supposes it's a good sign, considering he hasn't really experienced that with anyone for a long while. As soon as he comes back to the booth, he finds Niall has already paid for the bill, and has his things ready to go.  
  
“You should have let me pay for my half,” Louis protests.  
  
“You had a two dollar drink with free refills, it was hardly steak and eggs,” Niall snorts. “I hope you don’t think I’m running off, we were talking for so long that I’d forgotten I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning.”  
  
“Not at all,” Louis shakes his head. “I have an early day myself, I guess we just lost track of time.”

Louis reaches into the booth for his coat, making sure nothing had fallen out before he puts it back on. Pulling out his phone to finally send a reply to his mother, the sound of metal clinking together catches his attention, and turns around to the sight of Niall fitting his arms into a pair of forearm crutches. Louis' mouth is slightly agape watching Niall hobble around, but soon catches himself when he realizes Niall is giving him an irritated expression.  
  
“Staring at me won’t make these go away."  
  
“I didn’t say anything,” Louis replies, taken aback.  
  
“Yeah, right. Well don’t just stand there feeling sorry for me like everyone else.”  
  
Niall brushes past Louis in a hurry, mumbling something incoherent under his breath. Confused, Louis runs after him, catching up fast enough to stop Niall before he can deactivate his car alarm.  
  
“Niall, wait!” Louis yells, coughing out a breath. “You’re just going to leave me hanging like that?”  
  
“I saw the look on your face, all right? It’s the look every person gives me as soon as they see these fucking things.” Niall opens his door, angrily tossing one of his crutches to the passenger seat. “I can’t get rid of them, Louis, but I need them to walk when I’m not performing. I didn’t mention them ‘cause I wanted—”  
  
“Wanted what?” Louis asks after a brief silence.  
  
“I wanted you to see _me_. Not these.”  
  
“Do you really think a pair of crutches is going to stop me from talking to you?”  
  
“They’ve done a good job of scaring people away when I least expect it.”  
  
“Then they’re not worth your time,” Louis says earnestly, and he can see a visible change in Niall’s eyes. “It’s nobody’s business but yours to mention them. And I’m letting you know right now that they’re not going to bother me, I promise.”  
  
Niall bites the inside of his cheek, and gives Louis a forgiving nod. “Stop me if you think I’m being too forward, but do you want to meet again tomorrow night? I figure this would be a better way for us to talk, ‘cause I’d hate for you to spend another eighty dollars on a ticket just to blow me a kiss.”  
  
Louis lights up, his insides jumping all over the place. “I think that’s a great idea,” he answers with a grin. Niall slightly bounces in place, both of them letting out a nervous and breathy laughs. “I’ll have a giant mug of hot chocolate waiting for you as soon as you walk in.”  
  
“Better not forget my muffin,” Niall jokingly adds. Louis helps Niall into the driver's seat, backing away as soon as he starts the engine. “I really didn't think you'd show up four times in a row just to see me, nobody ever does,” he confesses. "But I'm really glad you came back."  
  
Louis nods his head and tries to keep a straight face, but bites his lip and breaks into a smile afterwards. “So am I.”  
  
—  
  
Niall is only ten minutes late the following night, and five the night after. Louis doesn’t mind waiting, thanks to Sally keeping him company until Niall arrives. By the third and fourth night, Niall shows up earlier than Louis, which only means more time for them to spend together until they both go home.  
  
And Louis likes that. He likes spending time with Niall the business major, the one with a penchant for freshly baked muffins, hot chocolate, and wearing tweed newsboy caps where tufts of his blond hair stick out from underneath. He likes Niall the actor too, the one with dreams of performing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, or seeing his name in flashing bright lights on a marquee in New York City. Louis likes all the facets of Niall he's seen so far, and hopes Niall likes what he's seen of him too.  
  
By the fifth night, Niall remains quiet while he eats, his anxious expression worrying Louis. Despite claiming nothing’s wrong, Niall becomes fidgety, refusing to sit still while he bites his nails. He calms down when Louis places a hand over his, though it only lasts a few seconds until he starts up again.  
  
“Have you heard of exostoses?” Niall quietly asks to Louis’ confusion. “I’ll try not to get too technical, but to put it in English, I have a hereditary condition where benign bone tumors grow onto my existing bones for no damn reason other than to torture me. My dad has it and by the power of genetics, I have it too.”  
  
Niall explains his condition in the simplest of terms, and Louis can’t help but sit in shock from everything he’s hearing. He can’t imagine the pain Niall goes through on a daily basis just to walk, let alone when he has to perform his high flying act onstage. Just thinking about all the surgeries Niall has gotten over the years to restore his knee leaves Louis distressed, but all he can think of is coming up with ways to alleviate Niall's pain.  
  
“It was difficult when I first realized what was happening to me, but I’ve learned to deal with it,” Niall remarks nonchalantly. “And as much as it hurts, I refuse to let it affect me when I’m performing. It’s not that bad now, but I know it’ll get worse until I take care of it next month.”  
  
“But why next month? Why not do it now if you know what’s coming?”  
  
“Insurance stuff, really. I’ve got some painkillers at home, but it messes with my head, especially if I’m onstage,” Niall smiles sadly. Louis puts a hand over Niall's, letting the warmth of his palm linger between them, and he can see Niall appreciates the affection.  
  
“I wish there was something I could do. If there’s anything you need—”  
  
“You’re doing enough by distracting me every night,” Niall teases. He quickly changes the subject, saying in a happier tone, “So there’s this this guy I’ve been talking to, right? Really cute guy. _Small guy_ , and he keeps telling me he’s five foot nine when he’s probably only four feet tall.” Louis’ jaw drops and Niall throws his head back laughing. “All right, he’s _five_ feet tall!”  
  
“Ha ha ha, very funny,” Louis glares at him. “So what’s all the deal with this _tall_ guy? Does he meet up with you night after night in a tiny cafe drinking strawberry lemonade until he has to go home?”  
  
“ _Well_ ,” Niall sings, “not only that, but he always smells great and he’s got this _killer_ smile I can't stop thinking about. And when we meet up, I feel like a completely different person with him. I’m never sad when he’s around.” Louis looks at Niall in wonderment, and discreetly brushes his leg against Niall’s under the table. “I’d really like to invite him to one of my rehearsals before he goes back to work, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”  
  
“Why wouldn’t it be? Are you worried he’ll say no?”  
  
“Nah, I’m worried he’ll find it boring,” Niall shrugs. “It’s just an idea, I’m not really expecting him to—”  
  
“He’d be an idiot to refuse you,” Louis cuts in, watching as Niall looks up at him with a smile. “Besides, you could probably give him a tour of the place, maybe show him all the secret entrances no one else knows about.”  
  
“I can show him more than just entrances if he asked,” Niall whispers suggestively. Louis swallows hard, the back of his neck feeling hotter when Niall slowly wets his lips. “One o’clock, Friday afternoon. Think that’s a good time to squeeze in a rehearsal into his busy schedule?”  
  
Louis looks at the imaginary watch on his wrist with a worried expression, only to wink at Niall right after. “Sounds perfect.”  
  
—  
  
Louis can’t hide his excitement on Friday afternoon, driving as fast as he can to the sparsely filled theatre. He briefly meets with Niall as soon as he arrives, and is introduced to Harry and Zayn, the two actors who play Envy and Malice. They poke and prod Louis with a million questions about his interest in Niall, only for Louis to be saved by Liam, instructing all three actors to go backstage at the director’s request.  
  
Louis is surprised to see Liam out of his usual navy blue suit and tie, donning a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, though his earpiece remains intact. Liam escorts Louis into the theatre, making him sit dead center in the middle row behind a large group of dancers for the best view of the stage. He grows uncomfortable when the dancers keep looking over at him and whispering, their quiet laughter leaving him itching to run out. It only gets worse when he realizes Liam and his lackeys have been watching his every move from the private balconies above.  
  
Despite his unease, Louis focuses back on the stage, watching several stagehands strap Niall into a safety harness. He’d apparently volunteered to be the first to test out the new wiring the stage crew had replaced, and takes off as soon as he gives the director a thumbs up. Niall has a rocky start at first, but eventually gets the hang of it and does his routine for a good ten minutes before he’s finished and running down the stairs towards Louis.  
  
“Come on, I’ll show you around!” he exclaims, and takes Louis’ hand, leading him towards an unmarked exit to an empty hallway. “Pick up the pace, Louis! I think I’ve got at least half an hour before the press people get here to write some fancy article about the show.”  
  
“Are you sure we won’t get in trouble? What about your crutches?”  
  
Niall abruptly stops, and backs Louis against the wall. “Don't need 'em right now,” he says, placing his arms on either side of Louis. “I took care of everything, all you have to do is follow me.”  
  
Louis takes a deep breath, and lightly places his hands on Niall’s waist. Niall lets out a soft noise when Louis brings him closer, their bodies just inches away from being pressed against each other. The warmth of Niall’s body heat combined with his signature cologne leaves Louis a little dizzy, but not enough to lose all focus.  
  
“You gonna show me those entrances you told me about?” Louis purrs.  
  
“Yeah,” Niall smirks, “every single one.”  
  
—  
  
Niall and Louis spend close to half an hour running all over the place looking for secret passages and entrances. To Niall’s disappointment, all they find are rooms full of old costumes and props, some nearly falling over the two as soon as they open the doors. Louis practically jumps when he opens a broom closet full of untouched mannequin heads, some painted as clowns, others with animal faces, and some just too downright gruesome to look at.  
  
As soon as Louis calms down from his scare, he and Niall head back into the theatre using a staircase that leads to the orchestra pit. Niall pulls up two chairs for them to sit, and spend the rest of the rehearsal stealing glances or nudging each other’s legs when Niall becomes fidgety. Louis notices how often Niall bites his fingernails, and almost tallies how many times he runs his fingers through his hair and touches his sideburns right after. Just watching Niall has Louis’ skin suddenly itching all over.  
  
“Sorry it’s kind of boring now,” Niall says sheepishly. “We spend so much time talking at the cafe that suddenly I'm out of things to say.”  
  
“You're just recharging for later,” Louis snorts, nudging Niall's side. “But I’ve had a lot of fun with you today, I’m really glad you invited me.”  
  
Niall bumps shoulders with Louis, his cheeks turning to a shade of dark red. “That’s what I’m about, showing people a good time, I mean,” he says with a goofy laugh. “Although I’ve been told that my level of entertainment isn’t enough – whatever that means. I just want to be the best actor I can be, not be someone’s puppet.”  
  
“ _Isn’t enough_?” Louis’ jaw drops, utterly shocked. “How can anyone say that when hundreds of people flock to this place every night just to see you in the grand finale? I've said it before and I'll say it again, you’re the best part of the show!”  
  
“Louis, come on, don’t do that again,” Niall rolls his eyes, picking at one of the rips on the leg of his jeans. “To be perfectly honest, I think it might be the fact that I don’t kiss everyone’s ass, unlike _some people_ ,” he emphasizes. “It’s amazing how nasty people can get just to make it to the top. There's a time and place to raise your voice, but I can’t ever see myself treating someone like shit just to get my foot in the door.”  
  
“You don’t need to, not from what I’ve seen,” Louis insists, despite Niall's disapproving head shake.  
  
“Harry and Zayn, though,” Niall points them out onstage, “they’ve got acting scouts pampering them with gifts almost every night, and it's absolute madness how there’s _always_ a group of girls trying to sneak backstage to meet them. I sound like I'm complaining, but the three of us have been working our asses off together to get to where we are now. They deserve it all, Louis, they really do. The favoritism gets to me sometimes, but I know this whole acting thing is more than just a free car and meaningless backstage hookups.”

Louis stays quiet, a million thoughts running through his head to encourage Niall from feeling so small. He just wishes Niall could see what he’s seen, a breakout star with pure talent, drive, and charisma. The world’s ready for Niall, and Louis wants nothing more than for Niall to realize it himself.

"These acting scouts are clearly blind if they can't see what you can do to just one person on a nightly basis. Hell, it'd be the one thing I'd mention over and over again until it's all people can talk about!"

“Oh? And what’s that?”  
  
“It's the way you carry yourself, how confident and unstoppable you are when the spotlight hits you," Louis professes in awe. "We were in a packed house and you made me feel like I was the only person in the room. Niall, you can make _anyone_ feel like that just by looking at them! And when you sing—your voice makes me feel like I’m home, like I’m in lying on a bed of clouds and every song you sing is the sweetest lullaby. I’ve never heard anything so beautiful until you sang to me.”  
  
Louis can tell Niall appreciates his words, tears building up as he lightly smacks Louis' shoulder in thanks. “You better not be bullshitting me or I’ll ruin you,” he teases, quickly wiping eyes. "But thank you, Louis. It means a lot hear someone say that I'm doing something right."

"You don't need me to believe that," Louis replies, "but I'll say it again if it makes you happier."  
  
Niall’s chest begins visibly rising and falling, the color on his cheeks fading to a shade of light pink. He wets his lips and looks at Louis, clearly at a loss for words. Louis is compelled to move in closer, so he does, heart beating an unknown speeds as he slowly inches his way towards Niall. He closes his eyes and parts his lips, breath shaky when he feels the warmth of Niall’s mouth near his.  
  
_Let me down this instant!_  
  
Niall and Louis back away from each other, frightened when they realize Harry’s wires send him flying every which way in his harness. He screams at the top of his lungs, his legs and arms flailing around as he tries to grab onto anything that will stop him from swinging all over. Zayn chases after Harry, running around the dancers onstage as they duck to avoid Harry’s lethal airborne limbs. Niall looks on in horror, but Louis can hear someone laughing hysterically, and zeroes in on a young man with atomic red hair and a nose piercing at the side of the stage.  
  
“I’ve got you, Harry! Hang on!” Zayn shouts.  
  
“Get me down from here!”  
  
Zayn holds out his arms to catch Harry, only for his efforts to fail when he grabs Harry’s legs instead and ends up flying with him, swinging out far enough that Niall and Louis have to drop to the floor to avoid getting hit. Their screams fill the entire theatre, the director and stage crew in a combined frenzy to try and get them down. In desperation, Niall stands on his seat, and shrieks out Liam’s name loud enough to be heard at least five miles away.  
  
Within seconds, Liam and his security crew rush to the stage with large leather bound cushions. The guards create a large landing pad around Liam, who uses his own cushion as a shield. Harry and Zayn swing back fast and Liam gets into position, using the strength of his entire body to easily break their fall. The pair end up landing in an awkward position—Harry on his back with Zayn right on top of him—but Liam remains standing, unscathed and oddly annoyed.  
  
“How many times do I always have to save your asses when you mess around like that?” Liam huffs, pulling Zayn off of Harry.  
  
“We didn’t do it on purpose, it was the fucking wires!” Harry bites back.  
  
“Oh yeah, great job handling yourselves there, guys! Absolutely fantastic,” says the young man with his bright red hair. He slow claps to everyone’s confusion, then laughs when he announces, “One of these days these stagehands are gonna drop you dead on your ass and I’ll be taking both of your places.”  
  
Harry and Zayn jump to their feet, hands clenched into fists with jaws so tense it could cut titanium. “What the fuck did you say?” they growl in unison. “The top billing on the posters say nine different names, and not a single one of them is yours! Who the fuck do you think you are!?”  
  
“Guys, not now, just let it go,” Liam says, holding Harry back. Zayn tries to lunge at the actor, but Liam grabs him just in time, shouting, “I said not now! That’s enough from you two!”

"I hate that guy! And I'll rip his fucking head off if that's what it takes!" Harry shrieks, the lights hanging above the stage rattling from the sheer volume of his voice. His heaving breaths and reddened face are a cause for everyone to back away, and Zayn has to restrain Harry from causing any more damage.  
  
“Oh, shit,” Niall breathes out, clearly nervous when he looks back at Louis. “You’d better go, Harry’s about to have one of his tantrums and it is _not_ a pretty sight.”  
  
Louis tries to protest, but Niall takes him by the arm, pulling him out of the orchestra pit and down the aisle towards the lobby.  
  
“Okay, I’ll see you! Bye!” Niall runs off, leaving the lobby doors to close in Louis’ face.  
  
“Uh… bye, I guess,” Louis says to himself, confused.  
  
Just as Louis turns his heel, the doors open again and suddenly Niall’s arms are wrapped around him, holding him for a tight and lingering bear hug. Neither one bothers to let go, and Louis closes his eyes, completely melting into Niall’s touch. “I’ll see you tonight,” Niall whispers, and gives Louis a quick peck on the cheek before he leaves again.  
  
—  
  
Louis makes a pit stop to the restrooms, wanting freshen up before he heads back home. As he’s walking down the corridors to leave, he passes several dressing rooms, and realizes he’s made a wrong turn. Walking back, he faintly hears two people arguing, one of them insistent and the other hesitant in their delivery. Louis tries to sneak past the room without being seen, only to stop in his tracks when he hears one of them mention Harry and Zayn.  
  
_I really wanted those assholes to drop and break their necks, I’m so pissed it didn’t happen! Same for that fucking cripple, Niall. I’d like to bash his fuckin’ legs in, walking around like he owns the place. He’s not even a good actor and everyone acts like he’s a god damn prince!_  
  
Louis’ head shoots up, eyes wide as he tiptoes closer towards the open door. He immediately recognizes the shade of atomic red floating around the room, his heart beating out of control from the rage building up in his chest.  
  
“One more word, asshole,” Louis growls under his breath, “one more word and I’ll fucking end you.”  
  
_What the fuck is your problem, Conrad! Niall is the nicest person in this production, how dare you say that about him! He’s done nothing wrong!_  
  
_No, fuck that guy! You know he only got the lead role because he’s crippled, right? The director only hired him 'cause she felt so bad for watching him hobble all over the place during his audition that he basically got a free pass! If that was the case, then I should’ve rolled in here like the next Stephen Hawking!_  
  
_You are such an asshole! You’re so full of shit! Niall’s got more talent in his fucking crutches than you do in your pinky. And if there’s anybody to feel sorry for, it’s the casting director for making the stupidass decision of letting you even play a part in this show!_  
  
_Aww, are you defending widdle Niall with his busted legs? ‘Oh, pay attention to me, I walk around in crutches and act like a big baby about it ‘cause I’m special!’ Hah! You gonna tell his mommy too? Are you gonna cry and tell the director I’m being mean?_  
  
“Hey!” Louis barges in, frightening the two actors. He’s got adrenaline pumping through his veins, a fist at the ready if Conrad tries anything stupid. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but don’t you _ever_ talk about Niall like that.”  
  
“How did you get in here? And who the fuck are you!” Conrad shouts, approaching Louis.  
  
“I’m a friend of Niall’s, asshole. Take one more step and I’ll knock you out,” Louis threatens.  
  
“So what, Niall’s got bodyguards now? If he wants a piece of me then he’ll have to step up—oh wait, he can’t even walk!” Conrad throws his head back, cackling away. Louis looks at the other actor, his intense stare giving her enough time to leave the room. “You’re hilarious, man. Now get out before I—”  
  
Louis lunges at Conrad, using all of his strength to tackle him to the floor. Conrad’s head hits the back of a chair and Louis manages to crawl over him, laying his first ever punch right to Conrad’s eye. Louis curses at the impact, letting out a guttural groan as he tries to shake it off. He and Conrad come to a struggle, a mess of limbs trying to hold each other off until Conrad manages to throw Louis off of him, letting out a strained cry from his back hitting the corner of a rolling rack against the wall.  
  
Struggling to breathe, Louis barely has a second to get to his feet before Conrad picks him up off the ground, and forcefully shoves him against the makeup table. Conrad tries to throw a punch, but Louis turns away at the right second, gasping when he hears the mirror shattering behind him. Blood streams down Conrad’s hand and Louis tackles him again, managing one more painful punch to Conrad's jaw before he's held back by Liam and his crew to break up the fight. Louis tries to break free from Liam’s hold, legs flailing before he manages to lay a hard kick to Conrad’s left knee cap.  
  
“You piece of shit!” Louis screams as he’s being dragged out. “If I catch you talking shit about Niall again, I’m leaving you for dead!”  
  
Liam struggles to get Louis to calm down, then escorts him out towards the lobby with his hands behind his back. Louis holds his head down, suddenly feeling anxious and worried when he sees a small crowd of actors whispering in a quiet hush. As soon as Liam clears a path to the exit, he shoves Louis out the doors, and begins a yelling match with him on the sidewalk.  
  
“What the hell were you thinking!” Liam shouts. “You can’t just come in here and start a fucking fight with one of the actors! The owners of this place saw everything, not to mention members of the press who were with them—do you have _any_ idea the charges they could press against you!?”  
  
“I don’t care, Liam! I don’t give a shit what anybody does to me, but I did what was fucking right!” Louis shouts back. He’s breathing harshly again, and pounds his fist against the wooden doors in frustration. He hits it hard enough again and again until Liam restrains him, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. “What’s wrong with these people? How can they just go around wishing people dead just to get a lead part in a play? It’s just a role, not the end of the world!”  
  
“Is that what happened?” Liam asks, surprised. “You punched someone for talking a big game?”  
  
“It wasn’t just that!” Louis quickly spits out. “That kid was saying the most awful, horrible things about Niall, I couldn't just let that asshole run his mouth! I had to do something before it got worse!"  
  
“Jesus, you could have just told me first and I’d deal with it myself!”  
  
“It would have been too late,” Louis says gruffly. “Do what you have to do—press charges, ban me, arrest me, I don’t care. There is not a god damn thing anyone can say to make me take back every hit, but he can't know about what I've done.”  
  
“What? Louis, why not? Niall would be grateful you fought for him!”  
  
Louis presses the heel of his palm into his eyes, tears streaming out no matter how hard he tries to stop. He storms off towards the parking lot, walking away as fast as he can with Liam following right behind. Louis manages to unlock his door, only to be forcefully turned around when Liam grabs hold of his shoulder.  
  
“You can't leave without telling him, Louis. You driving away from here is the last thing you're not going to do."  
  
“I can't – you can't," Louis breathes out, frightened of Liam’s strength. "I don't want him to think this was a favor, because it wasn't. And doing what I did—I fucking _embarrassed_ him, Liam. And if those press people even get word of me being associated with Niall, they'll link him to the fight and he'll never forgive me for it.”  
  
“Oh my god, do you hear yourself talk?" Liam asks incredulously. "Niall deserves to know what happened, but you're running away before he can even get the truth from you! You're a coward, you don't deserve to be with him if this is how—”  
  
"It's none of your business!" Louis shoves at Liam, frustrated. “You might be head of security but you don't get to tell me I'm not worthy of Niall, so get the hell out of my way.”

"I can't believe you're doing this," Liam shakes his head, backing away from Louis _._ "You're making a big mistake."  
  
—  
  
Louis stays at home for the first time in a week, spending most of the night icing up his swollen hand. It hurts him not to see Niall, but he purposely avoids the cafe to protect him, and convinces himself that he's using the rest of the week to reset his sleeping cycle before his first day of work. The children he helps in Mrs. Marabian’s class keep him distracted from remembering the last two weeks with Niall, though it’s difficult when he's all Louis can think about. He'll sometimes catch himself smiling about their adventure in the theatre, and imagines what it would be like to kiss Niall just once.  
  
The first week of school passes relatively fast, and Louis is learning that some kids just refuse to leave his side, particularly a shy and quiet student by the name of Theo. He clings to Louis during recess and follows him to the faculty lounge during lunch, much to the chagrin of the other aides that relish in their time away from the children. Louis doesn’t mind the company, and would take Theo to the audio/visual room to watch afternoon cartoons before heading back to class.  
  
When Friday arrives, the school is in session for four hours, and Louis is in charge of making sure everyone in his class gets home safely. It normally takes about twenty minutes before a majority of the students are gone, the rest hanging around until their parents speed up towards the driveway in a rush. There’s always some kind of excuse as soon as they arrive (‘I was at the gym’, ‘I had to call out of work’, ‘The babysitter couldn’t make it’) and Louis has heard it all, but it never fails to entertain him.  
  
As soon as the last student leaves in his father’s SUV, Louis feels a tug on his jacket, and finds none other than Theo standing behind him.  
  
“Theo! What are you still doing here, did your parents come by?” Louis asks, a little frantic, but Theo calmly shakes his head with a smile.  
  
“My unca’s gonna pick me up! He promised to buy me pizza ‘cause he’s visiting.”  
  
“I think your uncle might be a little late,” Louis glances at his watch, “but I’ll wait with you until he gets here, all right?”  
  
“Okay,” Theo giggles, then asks, “can I have a hot chocolate?”  
  
“I don’t have any, I’m sorry,” he answers, slightly confused. He notices the empty water bottle attached to Theo’s backpack, asking, “Wanna get some water instead?”  
  
Theo nods, and Louis takes his hand, leading him to the nearest fountain. Louis detaches Theo’s empty bottle from his bag and fills it up, answering any and every question Theo suddenly has about candy and airplanes. As soon as Louis hands Theo his bottle back, he takes a sip from it, completely unaware of the stream of water dripping onto his AC/DC hoodie.  
  
“Oh, no! Louis!” Theo gasps, on the verge of crying. “My unca’s gonna be so mad I got it all wet!”  
  
“Hey, it’s all right, don’t worry,” Louis assures him. Theo’s eyes turn glassy and Louis consoles him, letting the little boy know it wasn’t his fault. “See, look!” Louis points at the water spot, “It’s going away already and your uncle won’t even know it was there. I’ll bet you two Snickers bars and a jet plane it’ll be gone when he gets here.”  
  
Louis uses the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe away Theo's tears, rubbing a hand on his back until he's smiling again, and walk back to the bench where a few teachers are hanging around. One by one, they all leave until Louis and Theo are the only ones left. Looking at his watch again, it’s already 1:05 and Louis is getting anxious, knowing the school janitor will lock up the gates within half an hour.  
  
“Okay, come on buddy, I need you to follow me,” Louis instructs, helping Theo off of the bench. He picks up Theo’s backpack, the two quickly shuffling off towards the front office. “I’m gonna call and see who else can come and pick you up if your uncle isn’t here soon.”  
  
_Wait! Hey, that’s my nephew!_  
  
“Louis, it’s my unca! He’s here!” Theo exclaims, running off without notice. Louis accidentally drops Theo’s backpack, some its contents spilling out from an open front pocket. He kneels down and quickly stuffs Theo's things back inside, sighing when he rises to his feet. He hears Theo’s footsteps stomping back his way, excitedly babbling as he drags his uncle with him.  
  
“Hey, thanks so much for waiting with Theo, there was an accident on the freeway— _Louis? What the hell are you doing here?_ ”

Louis does a double take at the familiar voice, eyes going wide and mouth dropping open. “ _Niall?_ What are you – I don’t – _you’re_ Theo’s uncle?”  
  
Judging by Niall's expression, Louis is expecting to be yelled at, only for Theo to tug on Niall's hand, demanding his uncle to pay attention to him. “Let's go, let's go! You promised we’d get pizza, I wanna go already,” he says, almost whining. Niall unexpectedly snatches Theo’s backpack away from Louis and guides his nephew to his car, walking as fast as his knee will let him.  
  
“Niall! Wait!” Louis shouts, running close behind. “I know you can hear me! Just stop, will you!”  
  
Niall loads Theo into his booster seat, quickly buckling him up. As soon as Niall shuts the door, he’s bracketed between Louis’ arms against his car, but remains still despite knowing he can easily escape. Louis pleads for Niall to at least look at him, but the only response he gets is Niall turning his head with an annoyed expression.  
  
“Niall, if I can’t get through to you, then—”  
  
“You’re not doing this — not in front of my nephew,” Niall hisses, pushing one of Louis’ arms away. He hobbles to the driver's seat, giving Louis a look of disdain. “You wanna talk to me? Then I suggest you do it where you were supposed to in the first place.”  
  
“At the theatre?” Louis asks, dumbfounded.  
  
“Take a wild guess.”  
  
—  
  
Louis knows better than to go to the theatre first, heading straight to the Whitmore Cafe at exactly nine o’clock. Niall’s already waiting for him as soon as he parks his car, casually sitting on the hood of his sedan with one crutch sitting beside him. He’s got his hands stuffed into the pockets of his parka, shivering slightly with his loose blue beanie covering his head and ears. Niall looks the other way and pulls up his hood when Louis approaches him, the cold air escaping his mouth seemingly from nerves.  
  
“You’re a real jerk, you know that?”  
  
Louis is taken aback, but he’s not surprised by the outburst.  
  
“You don't get to disappear for an entire week and then have the balls to say you want to talk like nothing happened,” Niall finally looks at Louis, clearly hurt. “How is Liam going to tell the entire cast you got into a fight with one of the actors, but you somehow can't tell me yourself because you ran off with your tail tucked between your legs?”  
  
“Is that all he told you?”  
  
“Don't do that, don't get all sarcastic when I just want you to tell me the truth.”  
  
“I didn’t want to embarrass you, all right! Nearly everyone there knew I was with you during the rehearsal, and the last thing I wanted were those press people writing some made up story with your name attached to it!”  
  
“You really think I care what those people say about me? I don’t give a shit! They were writing an article about the fucking owners!” he shouts, hands clenched into fists when he stands up. “Did you think I was going to turn you away when I found out? Like you'd broken some unspoken rule I'd set for myself? What the hell were you thinking!”  
  
“I don’t know! I couldn't think at all with everything that was happening! First I was running all over the place with you, and next thing I know I’m being dragged out and yelled at by Liam,” Louis almost shouts back, breathing heavy. “Look, all I can say is that I couldn’t take the horrible things Conrad was saying about you. I wasn’t going to just stand there and let him slander someone I care about!”  
  
Niall stands back, utterly surprised. “You – you what?”  
  
“ _I care about you,_ ” Louis emphasizes. “If I didn’t, I would have let that guy run his mouth and acted like he never said anything. But I heard every single word and I punched him, Niall. I punched him and I punched him _hard_. He tried to break my back, but I wasn't going to give up even when Liam dragged me out of the room.”  
  
Niall then covers his mouth, eyes turning glassy when he looks away. “What the fuck, man!” he cries, hitting Louis’ shoulder. “You can’t just do that – you can’t –”  
  
“It wasn't the best decision, I know that now," Louis cuts in, "but there was no way in hell I was going to let Conrad get away with what he said!”

"Did he say I only got my part because I'm in crutches? Or that the director felt bad for me because she didn't have the heart to reject my audition?"

Louis is surprised to hear this from Niall, his words almost identical to Conrad's. The look on his face is enough for Niall to determine the answer to his question, and he presses his hands together, breathing deep as if in prayer.

“You need to understand something, Louis. Ever since I’ve had my condition, I've had to grow a relatively thick skin from people like Conrad. Every joke, every comment, every little thing that I know could hurt me — I’ll say it first before anyone else even thinks it. I'm virtually untouchable if I've got the upper hand. I have friends who do their best to protect me from these kinds of things, but _never_ , _not once_ , has anybody defended me the way you did and I — I'm so—“

"I was only trying to help," Louis insists, "I did it for you."  
  
Niall grumbles under his breath, and suddenly his lips are pressed against Louis’ for the very first time. Louis is absolutely stunned by the act, but eventually returns the kiss, holding Niall close against the winter chill around them. After a minute, they pull away and Louis gently cups Niall’s face, softly kissing him all over. It feels so good to finally kiss Niall, even if it’s in the heat of the moment like this. All he can hope for is that it won’t be the last one they share.

"It isn't true, none of that bullshit Conrad said is true," Louis says, stern in tone. "I just thought it would have been best if I stayed away, that I could protect you if I wasn’t around.”  
  
“Not only are you a jerk, but you’re an idiot too,” Niall teases, kissing Louis' chin. “I don’t like people feeling sorry for me and you know that. But I’m not too proud to admit that I need help sometimes.” Niall takes a deep breath, then reveals, “I suppose your fight did me some good, though."

"Really? How?"

"Well, Conrad's pretty much the most hated person in the production, so it was inevitable that the director was waiting 'til he royally fucked up to fire him.”

"Good! That's one less asshole to deal with," Louis holds his head high, making Niall laugh. “For what it’s worth, punching someone in the face hurts a lot more than I expected,” he admits, wincing at the phantom pain. “I had to ice my hand for hours afterwards, I really thought it would be a simple hit like in the movies.”  
  
“Like I said, you’re an idiot,” Niall snorts fondly. “But promise me you won’t do that again. I can't have you running around punching people at will and complaining about it afterwards.”  
  
"You have my word,” Louis holds up his hand in a Scout's honor. A short pause and a few more kisses later, Louis softly tells him, “I'm sorry, Niall. I'm so sorry I ran off the way I did. Could you ever forgive me?”

Niall rests their foreheads together, but keeps a hand placed over Louis' chest. "I'm still pissed about your little disappearing act," he says, lighting picking at the top button of Louis' coat. "But it doesn't mean I'm not willing to give you a second chance."

"You'd do that?"

"I'm already doing it, aren't I?"

Louis tips head a little, softly kissing Niall. He makes it last for a good while, only to break apart from the siren of a passing ambulance on the street. He wraps his arms around Niall's shoulders and holds him in a warm and lingering embrace, simply melting into his touch and listening to the beat of his heart pounding in time with Niall's.

"Hey, so my nephew keeps telling me about this teacher's aide at his school named Louis," Niall mentions with a curious gaze. "He says this guy lets him watch cartoons during lunch time and he's always encouraging him to do his best at everything he does. Funny thing is, the guy I'm seeing is also named Louis, and he's the kindest, most supportive person I've ever met."

"Wow, he sounds like a catch," Louis chuckles, clearly blushing.

"So now I'm wondering... what's a teacher's aide like you do with regular guys like me?" Niall bites the corner of his lip, batting his eyelashes. "Or are you just buttering me up for some private tutoring?"

"You want me to teach you a lesson, don't you?" Louis answers smugly.

"Yeah," Niall preens, "every single one."


End file.
